


Attempt 218

by StorgeAgape



Category: The Good Place (TV)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 08:30:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14745416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StorgeAgape/pseuds/StorgeAgape
Summary: From the prompt “Now, how could I forget you?”.





	Attempt 218

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nocticola](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocticola/gifts).



Michael’s second try to get his project of The new bad place, as if it were a good place where unawarelly they would be emotionally torturing each other was failing time amd time again. Usually it was Eleanor who figured it out, who would had thought that selfish one would be the first to notice instead of the academical expert in ethics with a natural skill for self sabotage? And that time when Jason figured it out, Jason. That one still hurts.

Michael: “Hello Eleanor, you are in the good place, let me show you the neigbourhood”. Unawarelly Eleanor crosses by with Jason and later with Chidi, on her way from Michael’s office to her, home? Are we sure that is her dream home? Isn’t it a bit too small, she has shared flats bigger than that. And the decoration? Just perfect, clowns. Ironical yay.

Michael: “And this is your soulmate, Tahani” and a gorgeous tall and cheerful woman shows at her door. Eleanor can’t help but stare, a bit confused but she kept it to herself. But seriously what wonders has she done on earth to have such hot stuff as her soulmate in the afterlife?

Eleanor: “mother forker” whispers under her own breath.

Tahani gets in and cheerfully hugs her. “Hi, my name is Tahani Al-Jamil. You’ll show at my soireé later, right? Just a little something for the neigbourhood.” Says pointing her huge home. Eleanor is still shocked by such welcoming hug. Eleanor finds herself lost for words for a moment.

Eleanor: “Sure, sure, sure. Later. And you, you just do parties here? Open bar?” Eleanor says trying to not sound nervous.

Tahani: “You are so funny. It’s soireé. I’ll explain you about the social etiquette.” Says gently touching Eleanor’s shoulder. That woman is quite touchy feely. Ok Eleanor, focus. Hot stuff aside, do you belong there? The home decor is not your style, at all. Isn’t that a bit weird that you would be in the good place but have a home that is nothing like your dream one? Eleanor stay quiet and just go with the flow.

Michael: “Well I’ll leave you two to it. Be early for the homecoming tomorrow morning. It’ll be so much fun” says joyfully before leaving.

Tahani looks at the decor while Eleanor goes for a couple of beers. Mostly to keep herself busy while she processes everything that is going on. 

Tahani: “I’m not that big a fan of clowns, but I could get used to it.” 

Eleanor: “what?” Says confused while bringing her a beer.

Tahani: “I’m more a wine lady.” says gently declining the beer offer “Your pictures, you like clowns. When we move in together. Or are we going to be the two neigbours crushing on each other for eternity but forever living next door?” says ending with a laugh. Eleanor not answers, she is still processing. “If you need your own space, I’m ok. We’ll get our routine” Tahani offers. Wait, wait, wait. Is this happening? ‘we’, ‘together’, ‘forever’, ‘our’. That sounds so much like, commitment? The topic Eleanor’s parents provided her with the worst lessons. 

Tahani: “Did I say something wrong? Had I’ve been too forward?” she quickly apologizes, gently placing her hand on Eleanor’s forearm,

Eleanor: “No, no. Is fine, is just I just got here, you know. If you don’t mind, can we go slow?” offers hesitantly.

Tahani: “of course, there’s no problem. Do you want me to leave?” 

Eleanor: “No, you don’t have to. We can go see the neigbourhood.”

Tahani: “Of course, darling. What about a picnic near the lake? I’ll go get my basket.” says with a warm smile.

Eleanor: “I’ll go with you, if you don’t mind. You’ve seen mine, now you show me yours”

Tahani being the host she is, shows Eleanor most her huge home, which takes a while. Eleanor can not believe she got that soulmate. Does she really belong here? 

“Ready to go?” says Tahani holding the basket and offering her arm to walk side by side. Eleanor follows.

While they chat near the lake about everything and nothing, gossiping and a little bragging included, and was that flirty? They hear a scream for help. Eleanor is quick to see a man waving his arms on a boat in the middle of the lake.

“We have to do something. He could get injured.” says Eleanor. 

“Janet” Tahani calls. And indeed Janet shows up.

“No, I am Eleanor. Ops. True, the butler lady” 

“I am not a lady. How can I help you?” offers Janet.

“That man there is in danger, can you put him safe? Get him out of the boat, here?” Eleanor asks.

“Of course.” Janet says and in a blink the man appears holding on the branch over them.

“Heights, heights, heights” he repeats.

“Buddy, is ok. You can climb off.” Eleanor tries to calm him down.

“No, no, no. I can’t. I tried. I can not climb off trees. I am not well coordinated” 

“There, hold my hand help yourself to descend” Tahani offers standing and reaching to his hand. Finally he descends.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you” he says checking nervously that he is not injured.

“No problem” says Tahani a bit drily.

“Where is your soulmate buddy?” Eleanor wonders.

“Oh, I have no soulmate. I’m Chidi. Professor of Ethics” he says still fidgeting.

“Oh, that is quite tragic. You must be a very special person” Tahani offers. 

“Had you dated on earth?” Eleanor asks forwardly. Is getting hard to believe that this is the good place, who on earth does not believe in soulmates? That just made her more curious about that men. Then again gossip never involve ethics professors, do they all remain single? Why didn’t she paid more attention to those classes?

“Well, date, date. I had partners. But not really worked. I do not know well. But is no problem.” He explains with a smile.

“I got you a deal. What about you teach me about that thing you teach, and I teach you how to get a date?” Eleanor offers. Tahani panics. What? Why?

“Eleanor, darling, aren’t you being too forward to that lovely man?” Tahani offers.

“I, I would not like to impose” Chidi says. Is he freaking out?

“Relax, buddy. We have eternity to know each other, so why not we try to get along and learn from each other? Isn’t that what life is about?” Eleanor offers.

“You are right. We are giving a soireé later. That home over there.” Tahani concedes.

“Thank you, you are both very kind.” Chidi says giving each a hand shake and leaving.

Eleanor and Tahani go back to their picnic. Food there is delicious. None of them would stop tasting the snacks to go back to the soireé. The soireé, etiquette. Suddenly Eleanor panics while Tahani is braiding her hair. That woman is so lovely.

“Anything wrong darling? You did my braid, I’m doing yours” Tahani asks a bit worried.

“Is just, I not question the matching, you are wonderful. But I am not the kind of elite party. I’d feel out of place” Eleanor confesses.

“Darling, what is that nonsense? Of course you are in the right place. You belong here. You rushed to help that man. Tell you what, we go enjoy a massage” Tahani offers, they pick up the basket and this time Tahani holds her hand walking back home and then to the massage parlour.

There finally Eleanor seems to relax so much she almost fell asleep. Tahani wouldn’t stop glancing at the cute faces Eleanor was making. Eleanor notices and smiles at her. They could be like that all day.

“We should be going back home, the soireé is in half an hour” Tahani says.

“Now? But I am so relaxed” Eleanor complains.

“I’ll give you a massage after the soireé, I promise” Tahani offers. Wait?

Eleanor is about to go to her place but Tahani gently pulls her back, the move places them face to face.

“I have plenty of dresses. You can wear any of mine” Tahani offers.

“Ok.” Eleanor concedes while they stare at each other, Tahani gives her a warm smile.

Eleanor goes to the guest room and puts on a yellow one. Surprised to meet Tahani at the corridor wearing a similar one. 

“Gorgeous. It looks a lot better on you. I’ll get another one” Eleanor goes to turn back to her room again. 

“Can I give you a piece of advice?” tells Tahani entering the room right after Eleanor.

“What is it?” Eleanor says trying to stay calm. She was about to point out the fact that she not knocked on the door. How can she be that stressed about that after the massage? 

“The secret to be confident is to be comfortable. If you are more comfortable with a suit or other than a dress, go for it. You are not my guest, you are my soulmate. I want you feel comfortable. If you still will not enjoy the soireé, I understand. Too much too soon. Take your time, I’ll wait. We have all eternity” Tahani gently offer with a warm smile. Suddenly Eleanor hugs her. “Thank you” she whispers. And hug turns to a sort of sway or slow dance, both with their eyes closed enjoying a relaxing moment. Someone is heard outside and they separate. “I’m getting one of the suits” “Perfect. See you in a bit” Tahani replies squeezing her hand and kissing her cheek.

Tahani leaves to welcome the first guest. A monk catches her attention. He seems quiet but quite observant. Seems he is waiting for a snack that not arrives. Eleanor joins them wearing a dark suit, waistcoat and tie included, and an incarnation on the lapel, and later goes to talk with , was it Cheeto? The ethics professor. Tahani finds out that he is actually an interesting person to befriend, well mannered and cultured. Eleanor tried to get him a date, but fails.

“Is ok, I not need a soulmate. My soulmate would be books” he offers in awkward laughter.

“You don’t have to, but hey if you want to. Anyways you owe me some ethic classes yet. Can we start tomorrow?” 

“Whenever. But for the time being I am done with dates. If my soulmate is here, I will find out, there is plenty of time”

“So did you go to many dates on earth? Had many partners? More than one at the same time?” Suddenly Eleanor asks.

“Well I had more partners than dates. Was not really my worry. I guess I am not made for that. Why?”

“Just curious. To help you when you are ready to date again” Eleanor quietly explains.

Soireé is over and the two ladies are finally alone again.

“It was nice after all” Eleanor comments.

“Too bad is over” Tahani says staring at Eleanor’s suit.

“Well I got promised a massage” Eleanor reminds.

“Of course, when you want, darling” Tahani says approaching. “Want to get more comfortable?” Tahani offers holding the incarnation from her soulmate’s lapel. And suddenly is Eleanor who shortens the distance and kisses her softly. “Thank you” she whispers. Tahani holds her gaze and smiles. “My pleasure”

And Tahani gives her a relaxing massage, lying side by side on the guest’s bed. Eleanor relaxes so much that she actually falls asleep. Tahani goes to get out of the bed but a sleepy voice protests “stay, you are warm” so Tahani joins again, they sleep cuddling. 

The next morning they wake to find is raining incarnation petals. On their morning walk to the main square they find everyone likes such unusual rain.

The week goes by, and they set to a peaceful routine. Morning walks finding slight cute changes, the sorts of the incarnation petal raining, hair braiding, picnic, ethic class. Tahani is actually enjoying Chidi’s company, he is very interesting to talk to. History, Arts, Sociology. Both Tahani and Eleanor are learning a lot from him. They are becoming better partners thanks to the advice he unawarely gives. Both Tahani and specially Eleanor are less and less selfish and narcissistic. Eleanor has classes in the afternoons, and Tahani goes for a coffee with him, some evenings they even invite him for dinner at Eleanor’s. Chidi said something about the egos, which they read as personal space vs mutual quality time. Both pay attention to each other likes and dislikes and are relaxed both together and separated. They never felt better in their earth dating lives.

They are learning about Plato and that makes Eleanor wonder.

“So soulmates are only romantic? There are not platonic? Or that other word you said, agave?” Eleonor questions.

“Well is generally assumed as romantic. But I guess the other two count aswell. And it’s agape.” Chidi explains.

“And soulmate is just two people? What if more than two are, say bonded? Or a person has a romantic soulmate, and a platonic soulmate or an agape soulmate?” 

“Generally is two, but I guess that would be valid too. Yes there are other kinds of love that are not romantic and are as important. Society today not pays it much attention”.

“So maybe your soulmate is those other two kind? Isn’t that cool? We solved your soulmate. We were looking for yours wrong. Yours is platonic, or agape. Because not everybody has to be romantic, right? That not means you not have other values that are as important, or that you can’t be happy, kind, caring, right?” Eleanor resolves.

“Is it? Well I hadn’t found that here either. I think” which gets Chidi thinking and getting nervous again. Tahani got a way to help him relax. She crochetted a bracelet that she passes him to fidget on. 

“I honestly think we might well be your two soulmates Chidi. I really enjoy your kindness and talking to you. And well Eleanor, I think if she weren’t my romantic partner she’d be yours” Tahani resolves in honesty.

“Tahani! That was just a private comment that he is cute when he fidgets” Eleanor protests.

“I am?” Chidi asks confused.

“What? I am not that jealous. I understand. If I’d like guys, honestly he is the only one I’d be interested in”

“You do?” Asks Chidi said confused.

“So that’s it, we are your soulmates buddy. You won’t be eternally alone” Eleanor says with a smile. 

Suddenly Michael and Jason storm in Tahani’s home. 

“Tahani, we need help. He says he is Jason Mendoza.”

“He is not who he said he is?”

“Might be a mistake, but sure is the only mistake”

“Actually we just figured out another one”

“You only matched romantic soulmates, that is why Chidi is single here. You need to add platonic and agape matches” 

“What are you saying? I missed those classes. We have a problem here. He can not be Jason. They will find out, that will be over, again”

“Who are they? What will be over?”

“This is attempt 218, this isn’t the good place” Michael says. “I’ll have to reboot that again. And you not figured it out this time. I am disappointed in you Eleanor”

“No, no, no. That can not be.” Chidi says denying vehemently. He goes to hug both Eleanor and Tahani and whispers to them “Now, how could I forget you?” 

Snap. Reboot. Attempt 219.


End file.
